By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

McPHERSON -- The Monarchs didn't seem on their game in Monday's season opener against Independence.

* Perhaps the wind had something to do with it.

* Perhaps playing the defending Class 4-3-2-1A state champion had something to do with it.

* Perhaps missing a key offensive player had something to do with it.

* Perhaps a couple lucky goals had something to do with it.

Pick any and/or all of the above, and the result was a 4-0 loss for the Thomas More Prep-Marian boys' soccer team in the first round of the fourth annual McPherson Invitational.

The Monarchs move to the consolation bracket, where they will play Wichita-Trinity at 4 p.m. Thursday. Trinity was a 3-1 loser to Salina South on Monday.

TMP-Marian coach Darryl Wellbrock thought his team, behind 3-0 at halftime, played better in the second half with the wind at its back.

"In the second half, I think we dominated," Wellbrock said. "We just didn't put the ball in the net.

"I think we all know the reason for that," he added.

TMP-Marian played the match without its best goal scorer, sophomore striker Teddy Kang. The school is awaiting a decision from the Kansas State High School Activities Association on Kang's eligibility. Until then, he sits, as does junior midfielder David Rico, also waiting for an eligibility ruling.

"I think we would have scored some goals this game" with Kang in uniform, Wellbrock said. "It's tough for Jordan (Maska) to do it by himself."

With Kang sidelined, sophomore forward Jordan Maska was left alone too many times to press the attack. The Monarchs never broke through; their best scoring chance came in the second half when senior Woo Kim's hard blast in the penalty area was stopped by Independence junior goalkeeper Wes Goodrich.

TMP-Marian freshman goalkeeper Drew O'Brien was victimized by two goals in the first half that came from seemingly impossible angles to find the net.

"The first one and third one were Hail Marys," Wellbrock said.

In the 16th minute, Independence junior Connor Cushing chased down a ball near the flag in the corner, where corner kicks are taken. He lofted a high shot toward the goal that somehow sneaked into the back of the net.

In the 27th minute, Bulldogs' junior Tyler Sprague was left unmarked by the Monarch defense near the top of the penalty area, and he sent a well-placed ball into the corner of the goal to make it a 2-0 game.

The Bulldogs' got another goal from a tough angle in the 35th minute.

Again in the right corner near the flag, Independence sophomore Garrett Webster attempted to cross the ball into the penalty box, but it instead tucked inside the far post to make it 3-0.

"At halftime, I told Drew to just shake it off and go on," Wellbrock said.

The lone goal of the second half came in the 64th minute. A Monarch defender misplayed the ball near the top of the penalty area, and Independence senior Phillip Byrd pounced on it, rifling a shot into the net for the final margin.

The Monarchs had little success in trying to avoid the shutout. Players misplayed first touches and had difficulty building an attack throughout the match. Most of the shots on goal were easy saves for Goodrich.

This wasn't the same Monarch team Wellbrock has seen in practice, he said.